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Nalia The Wondrous Merchant
A merchant who deals in Wondrous Items and other magical knick-knacks; but don't get too close, and robbery would be ill advised. Any creature this venomous must have a bite that is worse than their bark. (DM NOTE: Seriously it would be a bad idea to rob this lady...) Personality Dry, insulting, and devoid of any charm. Nalia is a no nonsense consignor of the arcane, a broker of enchanted items, a shopkeep with no shop at all. She never stays put in one place for long, and rarely makes friends on her journey. She scalps adventurers with her prices and cleans out desperate pockets. Her wealth is never displayed nor her true power ever revealed. But she is bold to wander the lands with so many valuable items, with nary a guard at her side. Appearance Wheeling a small foldable chart she travels the land, selling all manner of magic items. From wands of terrible power to tiny trinkets with little more than cantrips, she always has a magic item for sale. Her face is often as cold as stone, her speech dull and without passion. Her words always carry a double meaning or subtle insult toward any who speak to her. Yet in spite of her bad attitude she still finds business, and regular customers say she's a good person "once you break through the ice". She walks with a slight limp, and always takes her time while on the move. Background Born to a family with strong connections to the Taiyang Empire, little Nalia was celebrated as the heir to a wealthy and powerful business. Everyone who met her was instantly charmed by her impressive wit and penchant for conversation. Even as a child, many other families clambered at the chance to have their sons marry her, regardless of age gap. Nalia was kind hearted and a delight to everyone who met her, and was treated like a princess. When she was 10 years old, she met a wild Ram by a stream, the two locked eyes and instantly knew that there was a strong connection between them. In a flash of emotion the Ram attacked her, headbutting her into the river and sending her down the deep current. It was a hard struggle just to keep her head above water, flailing and panicking she finally reached shore; floating over 3 miles from where the two met. After a few days of her family caring for her and nursing her back to health, she set out to confront the Ram that attacked her, leaving her home with a few small previsions and only leaving a small note on her bed. She tracked him all the way to a mountain, and there the two would face off one on one. The cliff's long drop meant certain death for any who fell, and she was at a disadvantage against a full grown Ram. The Ram was Chaotic Evil, selfish and violent, and had murdered many other rams while gathering a harem of ewes for himself. He was set on killing this little girl, whom he knew had a power that would put an end to his high life as Alpha of his herd. After a long fight atop the high cliff, Nalia out maneuvered the Ram and struck him in the back legs with a hatchet, slicing the tendons and mortally crippling him. The Ram limped away, escaping the little elf girl only to face a small pack of ewes from his herd. The ewes remembered his brutality, and started butting the helpless Ram, trying to push him off the cliffs. Nalia fended the ewes off with her hatchet and grabbed the Ram by the horns, dragging him to safety and setting him far from the edge. Upon seeing the kindness of the little elf, the Ram closed his eyes and lost consciousness. A bright light burst forth from the Ram's body, enveloping Nalia and spooking the ewes to flee. When the light faded, the girl stood tall, clothing destroyed, body tired and bruised. Her hair had become coarse and thick, her eyes turned a pale yellow with horizontal slits, and from her head spiraled the same two horns of the Ram. The two enemies had fused, becoming one body, one mind, and one spirit. From that day on, everything about the little girl changed. Her personality, once bright and cheerful, was now sullen and callus. Her charming sense of humor replaced by an icy, almost venomous snark. She became cold and detached from her friends and family. Her relationships crumbled, her friends cut ties with her, and her family found their reputation wholly tarnished. The other noble families found their “Little Princess” too revolting to associate with them, and the family fortune suffered. Despite all of this, Nalia repeatedly proclaimed that her dark, sardonic, and mean personality was her true self. The two personalities of the kind, sweet little girl and the selfish, malicious Ram had combined completely, forming a new person in their place. To this day, Nalia says that she is happier than she ever has been, and that her new 'self' is who she is meant to be, her truest form. Now she has abandoned her family, and set out on her own as a traveling merchant; using her sharp mind and sharper tongue to amass her own small fortune. Yet with all the wealth she has obtained she lives a deceptively modest life, wheeling her small cart full of trinkets and goods from town to town. Careful observers will note that she walks with a subtle limp, a small remnant of that fateful battle atop of a lonely mountain. Equpiment * Simple clothes of dark grays and dull blacks * Folding market cart with a squeaky wheel * Nearly endless magic items * Never enough patience to deal with you for long Quotes "please, tell me something about yourself, so that I may match you with a magical item that is perfect for you... ... ... i'm trying a new marketing strategy... does it make you like me more?" ~Her first words to the party, delivered monotone.